With the majority of students away from campus, summertime at OU means the continuation and conclusion of construction projects. Gaylord Phase II is now complete, but the university still has many large projects to finish, including a large annex and remodeling of Collings Hall, the completion of Devon Energy Hall and Rawl Engineering Practice Facility, and a new annex to the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art.

FRED JONES JR. MUSEUM OF ART

According to Doyle, the current construction at the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art will create The Stuart Wing to showcase Native American art. A new third floor gallery will enclose the current rooftop sculpture garden.

“Also, a major new staircase leading from the lower galleries into this new third-floor area will be constructed,” Doyle said.

Jon R. Stewart and his wife, Dee Dee, contributed $3 million from the Stuart Family Foundation to help expand the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art, according to a press release from OU Public Affairs.

Doyle also said The Stuart Wing would add approximately 4,000 square feet of space, and that construction was scheduled to end December 2010.

COLLINGS HALL

Construction on remodeling and extending Collings Hall officially began last October, but heavy renovations — including adding 15,000 square feet of space, began in May — Jay Doyle, press secretary and special assistant to OU President David Boren, said the new Collings Hall will feature a bell tower entrance.

“The approximately 15,000-gross-square-foot addition will include new space for a student professional services center with a curriculum library and placement services, several specialty classrooms for mathematics and science education, several general purpose classrooms, and two conference rooms,” Doyle said.

David Robinson, construction supervisor for Collings Hall, said construction, including the add-on, was set to be complete in the fall 2010. The building will not be open in the fall semester, he said.

GOULD HALL

Doyle said the reopened Gould Hall will include a large presentation gallery, design studios and a new library, in addition to a huge increase in square footage.

“Upon completion of this project, Gould Hall will contain approximately 108,000 gross square feet of space,” he said.

Doyle said Gould Hall needed renovations to be bring it up to current building safety codes. Construction is scheduled to be completed winter 2010. Currently architecture classes are being held at the old Hobby Lobby shopping center located on Main Street.

NIELSEN HALL

Doyle said Nielsen Hall was being renovated in order to bring it up to current building codes.

“Interior and exterior repairs will be made to restore the 1948 building to good condition,” he said. “The exterior brick and stonework of the building will be restored. Exterior windows will be replaced with new energy-efficient windows, and the existing roof will be replaced.”

Doyle said that the inside also was being renovated to improve labs and utilities. He also said the renovation of the existing corridors will match the original design of the building, which will be open in the fall.

GAYLORD HALL

Phase two of construction on Gaylord Hall is now complete and its grand opening is later this month. The extension has added approximately 42,000 square feet, Doyle said. The extension will include a new student-led public relations and advertising agency along with an entire floor dedicated to graduate students and research according to a press release from Gaylord College.

DEVON ENERGY HALL AND RAWL ENGINEERING PRACTICE FACILITY

The construction of Devon Energy Hall was needed to accommodate growing enrollment and research, Doyle said.

“The School of Electrical and Computer Engineering and the School of Computer Science will be the primary occupants of the new facility,” he said.

Doyle also said that Devon Energy hall will be approximately 100,000 square feet, including new classrooms, research labs and graduate work areas. He talked about the features of the neighboring Rawl Engineering Practice Facility, currently in construction

“The building will include open high-bay work areas for selected major projects, a drilling simulator, support services, and shared common work areas for computer-aided design, fabrication of components, subassembly, prototyping and display of products,” Doyle said.

Construction for both is scheduled to be completed in the fall.